WELCOME TO MONDAY MORNING BLOOMS.
Make sure to visit my crazy talented friends as they share their summer flowers - sure to inspire and to lift your spirits this morning. Grab a cup of cafe au lait, throw in a croissant, settle in and we'll all have some beautiful fun together!
Now that our world is back to a little bit of more normal, we've decided to return to our themed posts again. For a while there, we were happy to be able to scout out any kind of flowers, and get them home. But now, we're back shopping at flower sources and very grateful to be able to do so! Plus...well, it's summer, so our gardens are blooming too!
Our theme this time is flowers arranged in jars. Pretty much bullseye for me, I love summer flowers in antique French jars - the antique French aqua glass canning jars.
I set the table in our kitchen at FrenchGardenHouse with sweet memories of my grandmother. Those silver and clear servers were hers. Like I mentioned, she always set the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With a tablecloth, cloth napkins, and pretty dishes. Of course she did have a live-in maid, and a "daily" who came to dust and vacuum. Grandmama didn't have to wash and iron, her "Jeanne" did that.
Since I don't have a live-in or a "daily" and I do the laundry, I've solved this problem by mostly using antique French Country cloths that can go in the washer/dryer and if taken out quickly and folded, don't need ironing. {not sure if grandmama would approve, but a wrinkle here or there doesn't bother me!}
The table is covered in an antique French sheet {of the washer and dryer and folding kind!} and I used a gorgeous antique asparagus Platter and plate set. I love this set, I bought it in Europe for the shop. It's different than most, the plates are oval, with two wells, and then there is that glorious aqua color. Just right to go with the antique French canning jars.
The napkins are new, they are a chunky linen designed in Paris with French Country charm. {I don't iron those either! Don't hate me!} The silverware is a mix of antique silver, I think it gives a table-setting a collected look to have different flatware. Not for every setting, but certainly for these more casual table settings - they are great fun!
Most of the asparagus sold in Europe are either white, or light yellow, and somewhat fatter than the green asparagus we eat here in the states. When I was a little girl, it was such a treat to eat the asparagus! Served with melted sweet butter, chopped hard boiled eggs and lemon slices. Nothing was better in June!
Fun fact:
My grandmother taught me that you can tell if the white or yellow fatter asparagus are fresh by gently rubbing the stems together. If they make a squeaky sound, then they are fresh! I used to love to do this at the greengrocer as a little girl, not sure he appreciated it, but I felt very important checking all his asparagus.To select the freshest possible green asparagus here are my tips:
- Texture: Asparagus stalks should be firm when you touch them. They should be able to stand up straight by themselves. The tips should be compact and tightly closes. Stalks that are limp are no longer fresh.
- Color: Look for that spring green color, a rich green. If the stalks are dull looking {you'll know it when you see it!} they are not fresh. The tips can be green or have purple spots, this is normal.
- Size: Green asparagus is grown in different sizes, from thin and small to super large. I prefer the green to be on the thinner side. All sizes taste good, but select a bunch that are uniform in size. It's easier to cook them if they are all the same size approximately.
I have a collection of antique white Blanc Mange molds that I re-purpose to hold things at the table. I love their shapes, and this little one is perfect for holding the lemons on the table.
The flowers I used for these arrangements are:
Peonies
Little Pink Dianthus
One lone purple snapdragon from last week's bouquet
Branches from a Silver Sheen tree in our front garden
Little Jar;
A few New Dawn roses from our back garden
Branches from a Silver Sheen tree in our front garden
I hope you've enjoyed your visit to our FrenchGardenHouse today! I'd love to have you sign up to receive all my blog posts....in the little box at the top right corner. So we can meet each other more often, because this was really fun!
Are you a lover of Summer Flowers in Antique French Jars? We'd love to hear what summer flowers you love and how you arrange them in the comments!
SHIRLEY at Housepitality Designs
and me, LIDY at FrenchGardenHouse
A BIENTOT
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and above all uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
22 comments
Thank you Nancy! My grandmama knew so many things, the older I get the more I realize just how smart she was! xo
Thank you so much Rita..I hope you are having a glorious day over there, friend. xo Lidy
Gorgeous Lidy!
So very beautiful my friend! And I love the asparagus tip! Such a sweet memory of your Grandmother!
Happy Monday! Thank you once again for your lovely posts!
Good morning, Lidy -
I whole heartedly agree with all of the above posts! The table setting of beautiful flowers, linens, GORGEOUS dishes, and all the lovely details – not to mention the wonderful memories of your grandmother. You have been and are truly blessed!
So pretty! Such a lovely way to start the week. These are the perfect, summery flower arrangements.
I haven’t used my bell jars in a long time so y’all have inspired me to get them out today. Mostly I haven’t used them because last summer my hydrangeas did not bloom. I may have had five blossoms in my entire garden. It was the weather because no one in our area had many.
Your peonies are so beautiful! Lidy, I love hearing stories about your grandmother and all things french.
Your antique asparagus plates are so lovely and your flatware too. I am also loving your linens.
I hope my grandchildren have fond memories of me like you do your grandmother. Have a blessed day.
Very pretty and wonderful family history!
Good morning Lidy. I so enjoyed reading the memories of your beloved grandmother who passed on her love for a beautifully set table to you. Both of my grandmothers didn’t set fancy tables, but their Southern food was legendary. Peonies are one of the prettiest flowers and their fragrance is heavenly. Your table is beautiful with the flowers, French jars, and the lovely asparagus platter.
It is always a pleasure to share Monday Morning Blooms with you. Wishing you a lovely day, Lidy!
So stunning Lidy, the peonies are simply swoonworthy! And be still my heart, the asparagus plates are gorgeous! Lovely memories of your grandmother too… thank goodness we can be out and about again, Have a wonderful summer!